On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Iraqi government stated that Baghdad had neither been informed of nor sanctioned the lethal military operations conducted by the United States and Saudi Arabia against Iran-supported militia members within Iraq’s borders. This declaration contradicts recent assertions from Washington that suggested the strikes were executed in coordination with Iraqi authorities.
Haider al-Aboudi, the government representative, addressed the matter on state television, explicitly denying any advance awareness of the mission. He emphasized that the Iraqi leadership did not grant consent for targeting specific locations or factions inside the country. These strikes, which took place in Diyala, reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 20 individuals, among them Iranian personnel affiliated with the Popular Mobilisation Forces.
Both the United States and Saudi Arabia have defended the military action, characterizing the strikes as a retaliatory measure for previous incidents involving American troops and Saudi petroleum infrastructure.
